The Microscopy Shared Resource comprises valuable, modern tools that are made available as routine services to Cancer Center Members. The services provided have been crucial for individual laboratory projects, and intra- and inter-programmatic research. With increasing frequency, Center investigators are addressing the molecular and cellular functions and intracellular localization of gene products implicated in the genesis or growth modulation of cancer cells. As new cloning technologies have become available, investigators in Cancer Biology, Cancer Genetics and our clinical investigation programs have been identifying candidate genes that may be responsible for various components of the malignant phenotype at a rapid pace. Accordingly, the Center has taken steps to provide cost-effective support for these cellular and tissue-based studies. However, solving the functions of these genes is often rate limiting. As clues to the functions of candidate genes are often gained by studying the location of the gene products in cells, services provided by the Microscopy Shared Resource assist investigators in their quest for answers. Exciting new collaborations with the VisLab of the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) continue, which have radically altered the way we quantitate and visually analyze 3-dimensional data.